


A Sure Thing for Christmas

by velvetnecessity



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Vacation, Domestic Fluff, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Holidays
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:40:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27777787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/velvetnecessity/pseuds/velvetnecessity
Summary: When Rey's boss offers her a Christmas stay at a family cottage in upstate New York, how can she refuse? A quiet vacation with just her and the cottage butler, Mr. Artoo. But there's something Artoo hasn't told her, and Rey realizes there's more to this Christmas than she imagined.
Relationships: Leia Organa & Rey, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 40
Kudos: 181
Collections: Ijustfellintothissendhelp





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, friends! Trying my hand at some less explicit, more fluffy work for the holiday season, with a sprinkle of influence from the Princess Bride. Hope you all enjoy this holiday treat!

Christmas meant sweltering, dry heat and palm trees. Or at least, that’s all Rey had ever known.

She usually spent her holidays in one desert or another. It’s what she’d grown used to. Growing up in the middle of bumfuck New Mexico had trained her never to expect glistening snow or Santa’s sleigh, but instead maybe a dust cloud and the AC repairman’s van. She became incredibly talented when it came to stringing small lights from the needles of her indoor desk cactus.

Then, when she was hired as an assistant for head writer at the Los Angeles Gazette, she moved from one hot, dusty town to another. Granted, LA provided more options for late night feasts after a long day’s work.

She’d grown to enjoy her job, for the most part. She’d really gotten lucky with her boss, who was practically her stand-in mother at this point. Rey had always been on her own, no one to look out for her, so having someone else care about her comings and goings was - different.

“Bless you, my darling!” Leia exclaimed as she reached out for the cup of coffee nestled in the crook of Rey’s arm. “Heads up, I think after the holidays, we’ll switch to black. New Year’s resolutions and all.”

“Oh shut it, Leia,” Rey retorted, her nose scrunching in disgust. “You’re a stunner.”

“Oh, you,” Leia smiled bashfully, brushing off her compliments. “Now, why don’t you head home a bit early. I know you’re desperate to hit the road.”

To be honest, Rey wasn’t feeling exactly excited about the holidays. She had no family to spend Christmas with, and she’s tired of being the pity guest passed from one friend’s family gathering to another.

“Nah, it’s just me again this year,” she shrugged, awkwardly shuffling some papers away on Leia’s desk.

“Well tell me you’re at least going somewhere. Vacation? I hear Cozumel is lovely this time of year.”

Rey gave a weak chuckle at the suggestion. As much as she loved Leia and her lavish lifestyle, she couldn’t exactly keep up on her assistant salary. It wasn’t terrible as far as compensation could be in the journalism world, but it certainly was not Take-A-Trip-To-Cozumel status.

“Uh, nope. Just staying home again,” she muttered. “Cozumel’s not really my style. I’d rather go somewhere with snow. A White Christmas, you know?”

She could almost see the metaphorical light bulb appear over Leia’s head.

“What about New York?” Leia asked, though it seemed she may already know the answer. “We’ve got a cozy little cottage upstate that would be perfect for you!”

Does not compute.

“What do you mean, ‘perfect for me’?” Rey questioned, jaw hinged open in a bit of shock.

“Oh come on, Rey! My son owns it now, but it sits empty most of the time. Someone should at least enjoy it!” Her mind is made up, and Rey doesn’t have much of a say in the matter. “You’re going, and that’s final.”

“But, I -” 

“No buts!” Leia retorted, hurriedly headed over to her computer. “I’ll just shoot Mr. Artoo a message and let him know you’re coming. He’s the butler at Solo Cottage. He won’t bother you much at all. He keeps to himself and stays in his own wing.”

“His own wing?!” Rey exclaimed. “Your cottage is big enough to have wings?”

“Don’t worry, it feels very cozy!” Leia smiled. “Artoo’s a very sweet man, and he can help you with anything you need during your stay. Oh, Rey. I just think this is exactly what the doctor ordered.” Leia walked over to Rey and wrapped her in a warm embrace. “You _need_ this.”

Rey tightened her hold on Leia’s delicate frame. She _did_ need this. A break. An escape away from everything about LA. She needed a decorated tree that smelled of frasier fir. Listening to the crackling of a fireplace while curled up with a good book. The smell of fresh gingerbread from the oven. 

Snow. Whatever that was like. She wasn’t entirely sure. 

“Well,” Rey sighed. “I guess I better hit the road if I’m going to make it to New York by Christmas.”

“Don’t be silly!” Leia declared, grabbing her phone quickly and beginning to scroll. “I’ll get you on a flight ASAP. You’re not driving all the way to Cherry Valley.”

“Leia, I - I can’t thank you enough. You’re going above and beyond -”

Leia’s hand came up to rest along Rey’s tanned cheek. “We do what we can for family.”

_Family._

Tears began to brim in Rey’s eyes as she scooped Leia up for another hug.

She was determined. This year, she was sure she would have a happy holiday.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, hello! Hope you've had a nice December so far. Trying to keep this story as light and fluffy as I can, seeing as the world sucks so hard right now. Hope you enjoy!

Rey arrived at the Solo cottage doorstep just after ten in the morning, struggling with her suitcase down the cobblestone drive. So much for the super durable, fully-functional 360° spinner wheels on her fancy new suitcase. (Another gift from Leia, of course, who insisted that she couldn’t travel empty-handed.) 

And so much for a cottage. Just as she expected, this cottage wasn’t as cute and quaint as a Christmas card. No, it was a large house, complete with several wings and a three car garage. 

She shivered as she finally got her luggage safely to the front door. It certainly was cold here. As much as she dreamed of a cozy cottage in winter, she hadn’t expected her desert-toughened skin to rebel so abruptly against the freezing air. She probably should have brought a heavier coat. 

Rey’s hands trembled as she lifted the doormat to find the spare key underneath. She struggled to pick them up, her fingers melded into one digit in her brand-new mittens. All look, no substance. Hard lesson to learn when you’re stuck outside in less-than-freezing weather. 

She managed to lift them from the doorstep, just to drop them seconds later. 

“ _Shit_ ,” she cursed under her breath, still shaking from the cold.

When she picked up the keys at last, she turned to unlock the door, only to find it already open, and a stranger standing in front of her. 

“Good morning?” a deep voice resonated. She looked up, and even further up at him. He was beautiful, which felt like a strange word to use to describe a man, but it was true. Where did Leia find this butler? Dark waves of hair framed his angular face. A scattering of moles across pale skin. Tall and broad and...

“ _Big_ ,” she murmured without even realizing.

“Pardon me?” the man asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

“....Big…” _Fuck, how do I get myself out of this one_. “...Big holiday greetings!” She threw her arms out in the air. 

_Well, I’ve made a right ass of myself_ , she thought. 

Quickly recovering, she continued. “You must be Mr. Artoo. I’m Rey.”

He stared at her, perplexed.

The silence grew and grew, and Rey began to wonder if Leia ever sent over that message.

“Leia emailed you, right? I’m her assistant that’s here for Christmas.”

Something flashed across his eyes at the mention of her boss. His boss. Their mutual boss? 

He continued to stare straight at her, jaw hinged slightly open, eyes wide. “Oh.”

She attempted to lift her suitcase again, but struggled with its weight. She looked up at the handsome man with her best doe-eyed expression. 

“Would you mind, Mr. Artoo?” she asked, looking up at him from underneath her eyelashes. “I’m afraid I’m not the strongest around.”

At first, he just continued to gaze at her, as if working out something in his mind. Finally, he shook his head as if to wake himself from a dream, reaching for her luggage. 

“Sure thing,” he replied with a smirk. “Let me show you to your room.”

He lifted her suitcase as if it were a feather, and walked into the cottage. Rey enjoyed the view, catching a glimpse of his broad shoulders underneath his sweater. 

Maybe this wouldn’t be such a cold holiday after all.

  
  


________________________

After she got unpacked, Rey looked around her bedroom quietly. She strolled down the hallway of her suite’s wing. She meandered through the living room area. The kitchen. The conservatory. 

“Too plain,” she stated simply. “We need some Christmas in here.” 

She searched a closet or two, but to no avail. She eventually came across Mr. Artoo, chopping wood in the back garden. She indulged herself for just a moment, staring at the sweat he wiped from his brow. When he caught her staring, he smirked, huffing a deep breath and standing straight.

“Uh...Sorry, Mr. Artoo?” she asked, face flushing from shame. _Get your shit together, Rey_. “Do you have any Christmas decorations in the cottage? And is there a tree you don’t mind parting with? I’d like to give this place a little cheer.”

He smiled at her warmly, which only caused her blush to grow into a full body flush. 

“Sure thing.” 

________________________

Rey spent the night just as she had imagined, hanging stockings from the fireplace, placing bows on whatever available space she can find, stringing lights from an _actual_ tree. Mr. Artoo walked through the space a few times, bringing an extra box in, stocking the freshly chopped firewood, sometimes just strolling by. 

She could feel him in the room every time he joined her. The air grew thick with tension. Heat rose to her cheeks. She was starting to wish Mr. Artoo wasn’t so handsome, as she wasn’t even able to act properly around him. 

She had hung every ornament on the tree when she lifted up the final decoration: a large, golden, glittering star for the top. However, she hadn’t anticipated how tall this tree would be. But, then again, she thought of the person who cut it down for her, and she was no longer surprised. He himself was a redwood of a man. 

Rey began to reach up on her tiptoes, stretching, but still at least a foot from the top of three. 

“Here, let me,” she heard from behind her. His large presence appeared at her back, warm and broad, wrapping around her as he took the star from her small hands. His hand stayed firmly on her back as he easily placed the star on top of the tree. 

“There. Now _that’s_ a tree,” he grinned, looking down at her. They both took a step back, admiring their handiwork. He continued, “You did a wonderful job, Rey.”

She looked over at him, and their eyes met with a jolt of electricity. A breath escaped between her parted lips.

“Thank you,” she replied with a slight smile. 

He turned back, the twinkle of the lights catching in his hazel eyes. “Sure thing.”

Rey had goosebumps. And it wasn’t from the cold. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have you caught the Princess Bride influence yet? :)
> 
> As always, you can find me on Twitter [@velvetnecessity](https://www.twitter.com/velvetnecessity)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, hello! Thank you again for reading. I so appreciate those kudos and comments. I hope you enjoy another fluffy Christmassy chapter!

Another cold, dreary day, but Rey didn’t seem to mind. She spent her time curled up in an old old, velvet wingback chair next to the fireplace with her current read, or watching Christmas classics under a blanket on the couch. 

Every so often, Mr. Artoo stopped and sat in the chair beside her, eyes transfixed on the screen and stating “Oh, this is the best part.”

She smiled into her mug of cocoa, the warmth soothing her chilled skin. Artoo seemed to find more and more excuses to be around her, and she was more than fine with that. She had found several moments over the past two days to admire him from afar. 

She looked back up to the TV, a wide smile across her face, when Artoo began to laugh out loud. 

She turned to him, brow cocked quizzically in his direction. “What’s so funny?”

“You’ve got a little - “ he started, but he began to chuckle once more, moving closer to her from the chair to the couch. “Here, let me.”

His finger swiped across her nose, catching a dollop of whipped cream from her cocoa. She hadn’t even noticed. Her cheeks flared red with embarrassment, but also in anticipation. He had never been this close to her before. 

He licked the whipped cream off of his finger, and Rey went completely fuzzy around the edges. 

“There,” he said, smirking, gold flecks in his eyes bright. 

“Thanks,” she replied, though she was surprised she even got that much out. Everything seemed to short circuit in her brain when Mr. Artoo was around.

“Sure thing,” he answered, and Rey could have sworn his eyes lingered at her lips. She leaned forward just a millimeter, hoping he would meet her halfway, but suddenly, he turned away from her.

“Well, it’s getting late,” he stood to his feet. “Is there anything else you need from me?”

Defeated, Rey turned back to the TV screen, afraid he would see the disappointment in her expression.

“Actually,” she began, desperate to change the subject, “I would like to make some gingerbread tomorrow. Do you know where I can find some ginger and molasses?”

“I can get you some tomorrow. I have to go into town anyway,” he replied, careful to keep his eyes away from hers, as if he was afraid of what would happen if their gazes met again.

“Great, thank you, Mr. Artoo,” Rey said, a bit of chill in her voice as she continued to stare at the screen.

“Sure…” he replied, voice trailing off as he left the room. 

________________________

She woke up the next morning, with that familiar feeling. _Christmas Eve._

For the first time since she arrived, Rey was alone in the cottage. Mr. Artoo had left early, a 45 minute trip into town ahead of him. She got ready and made herself some breakfast, but the house was too quiet. She missed his presence, always just around the corner. 

Speaking of around the corner…

Rey peeked her head around the corner of the fridge, looking down the corridor into Artoo’s wing of the cottage. He wouldn’t be back for at least an hour.

She battled with herself for several seconds. Why was she so infatuated with the man? She had only met him a few days before. Why did she want to know more?

It couldn’t hurt to take a quick look, could it?

She tiptoed down the hallway, feeling silly about halfway to the door, realizing once again that there was no one to sneak around from. The door was slightly ajar, a slice of a look inside. She pushed her finger against the door, cracking it open just a bit further, enough to slide inside. 

Artoo’s bed was meticulously made, grey and navy sheets tucked carefully along the side of the bed frame. Her eyes traveled to his bedside, a bottle of cologne next to the alarm clock. She raised the bottle to her nose and inhaled deeply. 

_Him._

She sprayed a small amount onto her own wrists, rubbing them against the sides of her neck. She continued to survey the space, from the neatly folded clothes, to the books stacked next to his side table. She turned to the closet door, which was open and displaying all of his sweaters and shirts methodically hanging by color. She smirked. _Of course he would_.

Her eyes fell to the box on the floor in the corner of the closet. Picture frames. She slid the box out from inside the closet and began to rifle through. Leia’s college graduation photo. A picture of she and Han when they must’ve just met, both so young. A baby picture from what must be their son, Ben. He was adorable, chubby cheeks with a wide, toothless grin, large ears and hazel eyes. Something seemed familiar to Rey, but she guessed it was because she could see just a hint of his father’s smirk. 

She pulled another frame from the box. A high school graduation photo. A tall, lanky teenage boy walking across a stage. He seemed as if he had not yet grown into his broad shoulders. His dark waves of hair grown long in an attempt to cover his ears. 

That’s when it hit her. 

_Ben._

“What are you doing in here?!” she heard him exclaim from the doorway.

Rey sat on the floor, picture frames scattered around her on the carpet. 

“Ben.”

His face went even paler, which she thought unimaginable. 

“You’re in my room,” he said sternly.

“You’re Ben,” she replied. Only one word kept coming to mind. _Ben._

He sighed. “Why don’t we call a truce? How about you tell me why you’re in my room smelling like my cologne, and I’ll explain myself a bit more?” he asked, arms crossed.

She patted the carpet next to her and he sat down, his long limbs clambering a bit to get so low to the ground. 

“I wanted to know more about you,” she admitted quietly, staring at the photo. “I think… I think I like you. A bit more than I should.”

He attempted to keep a cool exterior, but she could still hear the small gasp from between his lips. 

“I’m sorry for going through your things. It was a complete invasion of privacy. I don’t blame you if you want me to leave.” She could feel tears brimming toward the surface. How had she managed to mess this up so badly?

“Even if I wanted you to, which I _don’t_ ,” he replied, and Rey began to feel hope bubbling up through her chest, “you won’t be going anywhere. There’s a storm coming in. I expect we’ll be snowed in for Christmas. I made sure to stock up on any groceries we may need for the next few days.” 

Tears still swam in her eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me, Ben?”

“Because I’m a fuck-up,” he stated simply. “I dropped out of college, made some stupid decisions with money, so now I live here while I work and try to make my parents not so embarrassed of me.”

“What do you mean _embarrassed_ of you?!” Rey retorted. “Leia never shuts up about you. Her sweet, intelligent, handsome son, working as a software developer-”

“You don’t have to make me feel better, you know,” he replied.

“I’m _not._ Seriously,” Rey answered. “She talks about you constantly. But mostly about how much she misses you.”

“I can’t look her in the eyes,” Ben said, his eyes growing wet. “I haven’t been home for Christmas in years. I messed up so badly, Rey. You don’t understand.”

“I may not understand, you’re right,” she replied, her hand reaching to turn his face softly toward her. “But I know she loves you. And I know if I had a mother that loved me half as much as Leia loves you, I’d want her in my life.”

He smiled slightly, then turned away from her to wipe away a tear or two. “So you’re not mad at me for not telling you?”

“No,” she returned gently, “As long as you forgive me for rifling through your room.”

“Can we go back to when you said you liked me?” He smirked.

“Yeah, about that…”

“I like you too, Rey,” he smiled. Her heart stopped. Her skin felt like pure electricity. 

“So,” he continued, “Now we have a real problem.”

“A problem?” she questioned.

“Yeah,” Ben replied with his heart-melting smirk. “I’m your boss’s son. That’s gotta be an HR violation somewhere.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, you can find me on Twitter [@velvetnecessity](https://www.twitter.com/velvetnecessity)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, friends! Christmas is just a few days away. I hope you and yours have a safe and happy holiday, if you celebrate! I hope you enjoy this latest chapter.

It was still taking some time for Rey’s mind to acclimate to “Ben” instead of “Mr. Artoo”, but it took no time at all for her feelings for him to become more than she had anticipated. Ever since the air had cleared between them, there was a new feeling gliding through their shared space. Something like anticipation. 

Since they had spoken about their mutual feelings, Ben had been nothing but a gentleman. Almost to a fault. He shared with her the occasional smile as he worked around the cottage, but he hadn’t tried anything more. Rey, on the other hand, found herself struggling to hold back from climbing him like a tree. She didn’t know where to begin. His broad shoulders. His defined arms. His eyes that swirled like pools of liquid amber. 

Rey only knew that she needed to keep it together so that this, whatever _this_ was, didn’t fall apart before it was even put together. But before she could stop herself - 

“Would you like to join me for dinner tonight?” 

It came out almost in one word, Rey mumbling it quickly before her legs gave out from underneath her. 

He looked almost as nervous as she was. “Dinner?”

“Yeah,” she replied, anxiously combing a tendril of hair behind her ear. “It is Christmas Eve, after all. I’d hate to be alone when I could be…”

“...with me?”

“...Yeah.” She looked down toward her shoes as she blushed. “But it’s no big deal, if you don’t want - “

“I’d love to,” he interjected, a smile spreading across his face. “I’ll handle the drinks if you handle dinner. Deal?”

“Sure thing,” she teased, repeating the phrase that had escaped his lips more than once.

________________________

The aroma of mulled wine filled the cottage with pure Christmas. A half-eaten lasagna sat cold on the dining room table. The lights were low, accentuating the twinkle of white Christmas lights around the cottage. The crackle of the fireplace sounded just above the soft melodies of an old crooner that played from an old Victrola. 

Rey and Ben swayed gently together to the music.

They had both had their fair share of mulled wine, thanks to Ben’s family recipe. Rey felt warmth from her cheeks down to the tips of her toes, her head now rested on Ben’s chest, tucked underneath his chin. Their arms wrapped tightly around each other as they stepped back and forth. 

“Ben?”

“Hmm..” he purred, continuing to sway her from side to side. 

“You really do… like me?”

He stopped their sway. “Of course I do, Rey. Haven’t I told you every day since we met?”

Rey looked up at him, confused. “What do you mean, every day? We just spoke about it yesterday.”

His hand caressed her head and placed it back onto his chest. They begin to slowly dance again. 

“Every question you asked, every favor you needed, what did I say?”

She laughed softly to herself. “You always say ‘sure thing’.”

“Do you know why I say that, Rey?” She felt his smile against the crown of her head. 

“Because…” she started, but trails off toward the end.

“Because the only thing I’ve felt this sure about is how I feel about you. I care about you, Rey. I really do. I just didn’t know how to tell you.”

Rey stopped their movement and looked up at him, tears swimming in her eyes. “Kiss me?”

He grinned at her. “Shouldn’t I have some mistletoe or someth-”

Before he could finish, she brought her lips to his and kissed that insufferable smirk off of his face. She kissed the moles along his cheeks. His fingertips. His nose. She kissed every available inch of skin she could find. And when they moved down the hall and into his bedroom, she found an expanse of new territory to cover. 

________________________

Ben woke the next morning tangled up in bed sheets and Rey. 

_Rey_.

The night before had been _perfect._ But perhaps he had too much mulled wine, because now his head throbbed. Like someone was knocking on his brain. 

Or was that his front door?

The knocking continued, getting louder and louder.

Ben jumped from the bed, pulling on some pajama pants and rushing toward the door. He fumbled with lock and deadbolt before he finally pulled the door open.

“Mom?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, you can find me on Twitter [@velvetnecessity](https://www.twitter.com/velvetnecessity)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for coming along on this ride! It was a challenge to write something this fluffy, but I hope you enjoy!

After the initial shock of seeing his mother at the front door, Leia handed her bags over to her son, Han straggling behind the two of them. 

“Merry Christmas, Benji. I thought you were heading to Cozumel for the holidays,” Leia questioned, immediately making herself at home, settling the kettle on top of the stove. 

“Decided to stay here instead. Gave Artoo the rest of the year off,” Ben replied, nervously looking toward his bedroom door. “Say, why don’t you all relax in the living room? It’s been a long trip, I’m sure.”

“Now where’s Rey? You two must be well acquainted now, seeing as you’ve spent the week together.”

“You could say that,” Ben answered, swiping nervous fingers through his hair. “Come on, Mom. Why don’t you sit?”

“Benji, I’m perfectly fine,” she insisted. “I know you think I’m decrepit, but really, I can take care of myself, you know. Is Rey still asleep?”

“You know where I’ll be,” Han interjected, making his way to the garage to tinker with whatever he could find.

But before he could open the door, the padding of bare feet along the floor sounded from Ben’s hallway.

“Good morning, handsome!” Rey practically sang as she strolled into the kitchen in nothing but an old t-shirt from Ben’s closet. 

It all happened too fast. Rey’s eyes are met by not Ben, but Leia. She did a double take between Ben and Leia, then saw Han out of the corner of her eye. She then remembered her outfit, or lack thereof. 

“Oh my god.”

Han started to laugh out loud. Ben turned beet red, while Leia began to smile to herself.

“Well,” Leia smirked, “I can see you’ve been quite the generous host, Benjamin.”

A full body flush comes across Rey. “Leia, I -”

“Merry Christmas, Rey!” Leia came toward her and hugged her tight. “I see my plan worked.”

“Plan?!” Ben said exasperatedly, still a bit embarrassed from the encounter. 

Leia released Rey and leaned against the kitchen counter, hip cocked to the side, placing a tea bag in a mug. “Of course. Artoo told me you were staying for the holidays, and I knew Rey wouldn’t be spending Christmas with anyone. So I worked my magic and here we are.”

Rey and Ben both looked flabbergasted. “You set us up?”

“Rey, darling. Why do you think I mention my son so much?! I’ve been trying to get you two together since day one.”

Ben and Rey looked at each other in shock. Then Ben pointed to his father. “Did you know about this, Dad?!”

Han raised his hands in surrender. “Don’t look at me, kid. When your mother has a plan, I leave her to it.”

“Look, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about!” Leia insisted, pouring from the kettle into her mug. “We’re all adults here! Now, get over it because it’s time for presents.”

“You heard the woman!” Han exclaimed. “I’ll go unload the car. Son, maybe you could find your lady some pants?”

This time, Ben blushed redder than Rey. “Uh. Sure thing.”

________________________

The four of them spent the morning around the fire, opening presents and cracking jokes. Every so often, Rey’s eyes would catch Ben’s. They both could do nothing but smile. 

Rey found herself in the perfect Christmas scene, like a movie. Surrounded by her favorite people, fire crackling, Christmas lights twinkling bright, snow outside the window. She couldn’t make this up if she tried. 

She decided hot cocoa might make it even better. 

As she padded into the kitchen, she felt Ben’s presence follow her. She turned around to face him, sensing that something had changed. 

They were in this for the long haul. 

“Hey,” she said quietly.

“Hey,” he grinned. “How are you handling all of this? It’s been a lot.”

“Honestly, I should have seen it coming, knowing your mother,” Rey smiled. “But I’m alright. You?”

“More than alright,” his eyes lit up. “Rey, I was thinking… What if I moved back to California?”

Her heart became bright. “Really?”

“Yeah,” he replied, seemingly nervous. “I can work from anywhere. And I could be closer to you and my parents.” He took her hands in his. “I don’t think I want to hide from the world anymore.”

Rey felt tears brimming in her eyes. “I think the world is better with you in it, Ben.” 

He looked back at her with the softest eyes. He brought his hand to rest along her cheek, warm and strong against her skin. He lifted her head toward his, pressing his lips against hers. 

“Hey, kids!” Han’s voice sounded from the living room. “No funny business in there, you hear me?!”

They broke the kiss to laugh. Ben brushed his nose against hers with the widest smile she had ever seen. 

She wasn’t sure of many things in her life. But she was sure she wanted to make him smile for the rest of their lives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, you can find me on Twitter [@velvetnecessity](https://www.twitter.com/velvetnecessity)

**Author's Note:**

> As always, you can find me on Twitter [@velvetnecessity](https://www.twitter.com/velvetnecessity)


End file.
